FSAI says issue of 143 orders against businesses marks an ‘extremely disappointing’ year

The number of enforcement orders taken against businesses for breaching food safety laws was up by 31 per cent last year, hitting a record of 143.

Publishing its figures for 2013, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said it was “extremely disappointing” that once again there had been a significant year-on-year increase in the number of such actions.

Some 119 closure orders, four improvement orders and 20 prohibition orders were issued last year. In 2012, there were 109 enforcement orders issued by health inspectors.

The authority said it was unacceptable that some food businesses were continuing to breach food safety laws and said all such businesses must place robust food safety management systems top of their agenda or face “the full rigours of the law”.

In December last year alone, 11 closure orders were served on food businesses for breaches of food safety legislation under the FSAI Act 1998 and also EU control of foodstuffs regulations.

FSAI chief executive Prof Alan Reilly said the 31 per cent increase last year was “extremely disappointing” and serveed as “an unfortunate reminder that some food businesses continue to put their customers’ health at risk by not complying with their legal obligations of food safety and hygiene”.

“There is absolutely no excuse for negligent food practices.”

Prof Reilly said there had been a 5 per cent increase in the number of food businesses established over the last five years and he said the authority offered a number of supports on an ongoing basis.